FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – Methodist University rode a barrage of three-pointers Sunday afternoon to key an 89-78 USA South Conference men's basketball victory over visiting Shenandoah.

The Monarchs (8-10, 3-3 USA South) hit seven of their 10 three-pointers on the day in the second half to counteract a career-high 31 points from the Hornets Jeremiah Lawrence. Lawrence added 10 rebounds for SU (7-11, 1-5) to record his seventh straight double-double. He had 10 points in the first half before exploding for 21 in the second.

Methodist took a 36-29 lead into the half by scoring the final five points of the session and holding SU scoreless for the last 2:24. The biggest swing during this span came with just over a minute remaining as Shenandoah missed on a jumper in the paint and Methodist answered with a three-pointer at the other end.

Trailing 31-29, Moutkar Fawehinmi was short with his shot in the lane and MU was able to get a quick pitch-ahead to AB Lehmann. Lehmann calmly drained the 'trey' from the wing, giving the hosts a five-point bulge. Methodist then completed the half with a Brandon Williams jumper at the 22 second mark.

The Monarchs led the entire way in the second half, with SU only able to cut it to seven points with 66 seconds left. Forced to foul, Shenandoah could only watch as Methodist hit 11 of its final 12 attempts from the line down the stretch.

Senior Robert Lee led the hosts with 22 points and classmate Dragan Radmanovic added 17. Radmanovic had 11 of his points in the first half while Lee had 18 after the break. Fawehinmi chipped in 23 points for Shenandoah.

MU won the battle of the glass 34-31 with Antwin Shuford getting nine of those boards. The Monarchs were also a sizzling 7 for 9 (77.8 percent) behind the arc in the final 20 minutes of play.

Box Score 

Coach Rob Harris' club opens up the second round of USA South Conference play on Wednesday at Christopher Newport.